Love, Legacy, and Little Green Aliens
Give a warm welcome to Sadira Stone, author of Love, Legacy, and Little Green Aliens just released on March 21, 2024! Yep, that’s today and I love that title! Happy Book Birthday, Sadira!
Everyone, pull up a chair, grab a drink of your choice from the cooler, a Chocolate Chip or Peanut Butter cookie from the plate, and let’s find out a little about Sadira and her Love, Legacy, and Little Green Aliens!
Love, Legacy, and Little Green Aliens was inspired by Marsh’s Free Museum, a sublimely eclectic and funky souvenir emporium in Long Beach, WA. In addition to a huge collection of seashells and all the beachy souvenirs, they also display weird taxidermized creatures (two-headed piglet, two-headed calf, shrunken heads), antique penny-arcade games, and Jake “the Alligator Man”—probably a mummified monkey sewn to an alligator’s body. I loooove this place, and for LLLGA I tweaked it by adding alien-themed tchotchkes.
I do love tacky, quirky beach towns, and that’s the atmosphere you’ll find in the Trappers Cove romance series, inspired by all the funky beach towns I’ve visited in Washington State, Oregon, and Northern California.
I had so much fun researching UFO believers and their “alien encounters” for this book. Xander Anagnos, an entrepreneur with a history of failed businesses, inherits his Uncle Gus’s alien-themed souvenir shop and must deal with interference from UFO researchers who believe the site contains a Cosmic Vortex used to communicate with extraterrestrial visitors!
If aliens aren’t interesting enough, there’s also a family curse and a ghost standing between Xander and his plans to renovate Souvenir Planet, so of course I had to research ghostly encounters and ghost removal. Fascinating!
But Xander’s biggest obstacle is Hannah Leone, a beautiful local journalist desperate to save the Trappers Cove Beacon, the small-town newspaper her family has run for generations. Souvenir Planet and all its ET weirdness is the biggest story to hit Trappers Cove in ages, and she’s not going to let a pesky crush on Xander stand between her and saving the Beacon—and the soul of Trappers Cove.
The death of local journalism is a topic dear to my heart, because without dedicated news coverage, citizens lose their agency to affect change in their communities—or to preserve their communities from rampaging gentrification, as in the case of Trappers Cove.
Tell us a little more about Love, Legacy, and Little Green Aliens.
HEA vs. a curse, a ghost, and a plague of ETs.
According to the Anagnos family curse, second son Xander is doomed to failure. When he inherits his Uncle Gus’s business in Trappers Cove, Washington, Xander jumps at the chance to prove himself. Of course, he plans to remake the schlocky, alien-themed souvenir shop into something trendier and more upmarket. Who wouldn’t want that?
Hannah Leone, that’s who. Reporter for the Trappers Cove Beacon, Hannah is hell-bent on protecting Souvenir Planet, the beloved icon that draws thousands of tourists to their quirky beach town. The Beacon is struggling to survive, and there’s no way Hannah will let an inconvenient crush stand between her and the biggest story to hit Trappers Cove in ages.
Caught in a battle of wills and sizzling desire, Xander and Hannah discover the bizarre depths of Uncle Gus’s alien obsession. When disaster strikes, they’ll need Xander’s innovation and Hannah’s connections to save Souvenir Planet. But if these hard-headed foes don’t lay down their arms, the town they love will pay the price.
Come back to Trappers Cove for a steamy, laugh-out-loud, rivals-to-lovers romance full of found family, beachy fun, and out-of-this-world mystery.
UBL: https://books2read.com/LoveLegacyLittleGreenAliens
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/201064446-love-legacy-and-little-green-aliens
A sneak peek between the pages of Love, Legacy, and Little Green Aliens
Xander explains his family curse to Hannah:
“Don’t change the subject.” A dozen battered clam strips tumbled onto her plate when she lifted her po’boy. “You were going to tell me what makes you tick.” She chomped into the sandwich and closed her eyes on a moan.
“I was?” A warning tickled down his spine. She was doing it again—teasing out details he didn’t intend to share.
Then again, why not get an unbiased opinion?
He clasped her hand. “Promise me I’ll never see these words in your newspaper?”
She crossed her heart, her expression solemn and attentive.
“I’ve never talked about this with anyone outside my family.”
The corners of her mouth ticked up. “In that case, I’m honored.”
Just do it, coward.
He sucked in a breath. “There’s this thing in my family that goes way back to the old country. The curse of the second son.”
“You’re a second son, I take it?”
“Yeah. So was Gus.”
“And what does this curse entail?”
He twirled his spoon in his soup. “Supposedly, second sons are doomed to failure. Business, divorce, you name it. Whatever we try, we fail.”
She made a delicate snort. “Well, that’s clearly not true. I mean, look at Gus. He was married to Martha for how many years?”
“But she died.”
She shrugged. “Everyone dies.”
“And they never had kids.”
“Maybe they didn’t want kids. I think the shop was his baby.” She sipped her beer and wiped foam from her cheek. “He put a lot of love into that place. I felt it every time I walked through his doors. Souvenir Planet buzzed with upbeat energy. Every shelf, every wall, every corner was stuffed with something to make you smile.”
He stifled a snarky laugh. “Spiderwebs make you smile?”
She grasped his forearm as if yanking him back to the topic at hand. “The point is, Gus was far from a failure. Everyone loved him.” Her hand slid down to cover his, her touch satin-soft. “And you’re not a failure either.”
It would take a lot more than a pretty woman’s kind words to make him believe that. “My last few business ventures tanked. But Gus’s place is my chance to break the curse, to prove them wrong.”
“Who, your family?”
“Yeah.” Chuckling, he rubbed the bridge of his nose. “You’d think by my age I’d be over it, but their pity really gets under my skin. It’s a shitty feeling, knowing they’ll always see me through that lens.”
She scooted closer on their shared bench and—God help him—squeezed his knee, her eyes brimming with sympathy. “I’m sorry you’re going through that, Xander. You’re a good man. You deserve better.”
About the Author:
Award-winning contemporary romance author Sadira Stone spins steamy, smoochy tales set in small businesses—a quirky bookstore, a neighborhood bar, a vintage boutique. Set in the U.S. Pacific Northwest, her stories highlight found family, friendship, and the sizzling chemistry that pulls unlikely partners together. When she emerges from her writing cave in Las Vegas, Nevada (which she seldom does), she can be found shaking her hips in dance class, playing her guitar (badly, but getting better), exploring the Western U.S. with her charming husband, cooking up a storm, and gobbling all the romance books. For a guaranteed HEA (and no cliffhangers!) visit Sadira at https://sadirastone.com
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Posted in Authors' Secrets Blog and tagged Love Legacy and Little Green Aliens, Mystery, Romance, Sadira Stone by Tena Stetler with 2 comments.
An Angel’s Wylder Assignment – Sunday Snippet
Yippee!! Sunday Snippets presents a award winning An Angel’s Wylder Assignment my paranormal romance/mystery. WooHoo! It takes a Warrior Angel and Native American Shifter to save the past and create their future. Join the #adventure, grab your copy today!
Pull up a chair and get comfy, grab a drink of your choice from the cooler, a Chocolate Chip or Peanut Butter cookie from the plate, and let’s find out a little about An Angel’s Wylder Assignment, part of the award winning A Demon’s Witch’ Series. All books can be read as stand alone.
What inspired An Angle’s Wylder Assignment. I guess you’d say I decided to try something different. What a Wyld Ride.
Have you ever started a project only to discover it’s not going to be anything like you envisioned? Such is the constant situation of a writer who writes by the seat of her pants. The characters involved in the story take over and run with the plot, character arc, and anything else within their grasp.
Because I can’t plot my way out of a paper bag, and I’ve tried, I endure the escapades of my characters. Nine times out of ten, I end up with an imaginative and well-written book. Such is the case of, An Angel’s Wylder Assignment, part of The Wild Rose Press multi-author Wyld West series. My first attempt at a paranormal western, time travel, historical. There was a lot of research involved. How do they heat the house back in 1878? What do they cook on? You should grab a copy and see if I pulled it off. LOL
Creating a fictional community with other authors is fun if a little daunting. So many individuals’ points of view and writing technics melded into one world. Sharing characters in the many storylines and making it all cohesive can be challenging but fun for all. Readers get to engage with characters they already know and love, then discover new characters added to the mix in a town or community familiar to them.
What is An Angel’s Wylder Assignment is all about.
Warrior Angel Killian Dugan’s annual trip to the family castle in Scotland is shattered by the arrival of Legion Commander North. Killian’s skills are needed for an urgent time travel assignment. A rogue demon has escaped back in time. He must discover the why and where and stop the demon before it can damage the past and change the future.
Killian’s girlfriend Chinoah Grace, a Native American shapeshifter is included in the mission which takes them to the wild west town of Wylder, Wyoming in the year 1878. She will have her hands full fitting in and making friends.
Nothing is as it seems. They encounter visions, spirit quests, and a mysterious shaman. On top of it all, blending in as a blacksmith is more physically difficult than he imagined. But not as challenging as keeping his hands off his undercover wife. Will they complete their assignment or run out of time?
Sneak peek between the pages of An Angel’s Wylder Assignment:
Inside the family castle in Scotland, Killian put aside his warrior angel duties and relaxed in front of a roaring fire with Chinoah, a Native American wolf shifter.
He idly swirled wine in a cut crystal glass, watching the flames glint off the burgundy liquid. It was his duty to take care of the property while his cousin, Tavish, and his family were on holiday before the highland’s harsh winter weather set in.
This year he’d be staying through the holidays, though Chinoah didn’t know it yet.
Who says a battle-ready warrior angel couldn’t handle both duty and family. Bollocks to that. His best friend, Caden, did it. Well, kinda. Legion Commander Nathanial North balanced both just fine.
He slipped an arm around Chinoah. She cuddled into him as he pulled the patchwork quilt Jalen, Tavish’s wife, had made and given them to celebrate their hard-won relationship status of dating. One step at a time, Chinoah had requested.
The brass door knocker echoed through the castle announcing visitors.
With a raised brow, he peered at Chinoah. “Expecting guests, are we?”
“Not as far as I know.” She got to her feet and padded across the stone floor.
“Wait.” Grumbling, he pushed up from the cozy warm couch, slipped his socked feet back into his boots, and clomped toward her. “Best let me answer the door since we don’t know who’s waiting on the other side.”
She slowed her pace to allow him to catch up with her. “This castle is huge. By the time we get to the door, the visitors may be gone.” She giggled.
“Way to keep in shape.” Chuckling, he kissed her. “Apparently, my cousin made the original great hall into their family living space.”
“God help us if we’re in the bed-chamber when someone comes calling.” She snickered. “We’d have to sprint down the balcony hallway, across the split staircase, and through the great hall. By then, the visitors would have decided no one was home.”
“Which could have been Tavish’s plan.” He smiled at the thought. “Besides, I didn’t hear you complain last evening when you thundered through the castle for a couple of hours on four paws.”
“That was different. My wolf needed the exercise, and you didn’t want me to go outside.” Her lips formed a pout that he found irresistible.
“Didn’t want to spring you from a trap.” He turned his attention out the window where the snow swirled in the howling wind. “Besides, who in bloody hell would be calling at this time of night and in this weather?”
She raised an eyebrow and shrugged. “Only one group of individuals I know.”
“Oh, no. I’m on leave. They didn’t know where I was going. Besides, they wouldn’t expect me to be here.” The ancient wooden door groaned then made a squeeing sound when Killian yanked it open. “What in tarnation are you doing here?”
Pssst… While you’re here, don’t forget to check out my paranormal romance/mysteries click here.
Check back next week for another Sunday Snippet paranormal adventure/romance/mystery!
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Posted in Authors' Secrets Blog and tagged An Angel's Wylder Assignment, Historical, Paranormal Romance/Mystery, Shapeshifters, Sunday Snippet, Tena Stetler, Time travel, Western by Tena Stetler with comments disabled.
Security Force of Two – Sale – Sunday Snippet
Welcome back to Sunday Snippet! This week we celebrate the one year anniversary of Security Force of Two, a paranormal mystery with a touch of romance. Take a peek, you’ll be glad you did! The book is on sale for $2.99 for a limited time. Join the #adventure,grab a copy today!First, I’d like to share the inspiration for SECURITY FORCE OF TWO, the first book in my MOUNTAIN TOWN MYSTERY Series. All books in the series can be read as a standalone.
A few years ago, I attended a writing conference. I had lunch with an individual from a publishing house. She was a hoot and talked about her father who was the chief of police for a small town. Growing up in that small town she knew everybody’s business more than most, being the chief’s daughter. Nothing really bad ever happened in her town.
Our conversation got me to thinking, which is always a dangerous thing. LOL What if the police chief of thirty-five years retired? What if his replacement succumbed to an untimely death in that tiny town that never saw much crime, let alone a violent murder? What if the retired police chief’s daughter left the CIA for a quiet life only to become mixed up in the investigation? The what-ifs went on and on. I made notes and stored them on my computer.
As it turned out, when I arrived home from the conference, an email awaited me. The book, my debut novel, A Demon’s Witch, I was pitching at that conference was contracted by another house, The Wild Rose Press, which has since published eighteen of my books and counting. In my excitement, the file was completely forgotten.
Years later, I came across the file and reviewed it. SECURITY FORCE OF TWO was born. I keep thinking, someday I should drop the individual an email and let her know our conversation inspired my new release. Then again, maybe not. LOL
Now let’s see what my new release, SECURITY FORCE OF TWO is all about.
Miacoh Zane, a Special Forces veteran, returns to Aspen Ridge, Colorado a small town nestled in the Rocky Mountains, to settle his beloved grandmother’s estate. But the town holds painful memories and family secrets he wants to leave behind for good.
Candle Bearclaw, a gifted computer analyst/programmer with talents she’s buried when recruited out of college by the CIA. After fifteen years, she abruptly resigns her position with the agency. She returns to her sleepy hometown only to discover her childhood crush has also returned and a violent crime has been committed.
Due to their covert operations experience, Candle and Miacoh are thrown together to assist Homeland Security, FBI, and her father, former chief of police, with a murder investigation. As they search for the perpetrators, will their secrets be revealed as the investigation takes an unusual twist that could blow the case wide open.
How about a sneak peek between the pages of SECURITY FORCE OF TWO?
When she drove up the circle driveway, a chill shot up her spine, then a strange feeling came over her, almost like someone was watching. Reaching under the seat of her SUV, she pulled out her handgun, checked the weapon to make sure it was loaded, chambered a round, and tucked it in the back waistband of her jeans, covering it with her shirt and jacket. She backed out then drove the entire driveway more slowly, checking the perimeter. Nothing. The cell phone hadn’t chirped to alert her of a breach, but she checked her outside surveillance cameras, then the ones inside her home anyway. Again nothing. She shrugged off the feeling and stepped out of her SUV. Gun drawn, she flicked off the safety and turned on the laser. It didn’t hurt to be safe rather than sorry.
Peeking in the window, she saw the alarm keypad was still set and secure. Then she walked around the house, entered through the back door, closed and relocked it, deactivated the alarm. Nothing was out of place. Part of her wished she’d brought Terrabyte along. Though still young, the pups tracking ability was well-developed. Terra would know if someone were in or around the cabin since they left. Back to the wall, she moved carefully through each room, nothing. When she was sure the house was clear, she sat down at the computer, laying the gun next to it. Warning windows were popped up everywhere on the screen. Someone had tried to hack into her system but hadn’t gotten very far. Closing out the windows one at a time until she found a message planted just under the first layer of security. That is what must have set off the warnings. Her throat went dry as she read the message. “Poking around where you don’t belong is dangerous business. Carl’s death was unfortunate but an accident. Leave it be or pay the consequences.”
Fingers posed over the keyboard. She started to X out of the message but stopped. If this was a disintegrating message, she would have no proof it ever existed. Taking out her cell phone, she took a picture of the screen. The handle on the front door jiggled. She grabbed her gun and jumped up, making her way to the front bay window.
Buy Link https://books2read.com/u/bMN2X5
I hope you enjoyed today’s Sunday Snippet. Join me next Sunday for another exciting Sunday Snippet!
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Posted in Authors' Secrets Blog and tagged fantasy, Halloween, Paranormal Romance/Mystery, Security Force of Two, Sunday Snippet, Tena Stetler, Witches by Tena Stetler with 2 comments.
Charm Me Again – Sunday Snippet and a Little More
Welcome to Sunday Snippets. This week its the award-winning Charm Me Again sequel to Charm Me a fun and flirty tale. Join me each week for a fun adventure.Charm Me Again is a bit darker than Charm Me. Two families long divided brought together through an adventure of a lifetime. Breaking the curse is only the first step to forever.
How about a little about the writing this book. Since I am a panster, my characters seem to hijack the story at every turn. Just about the time I think I have the reigns of the story—off they go in another direction. It’s frustrating at times, but I so enjoy the experience never knowing what will happen for sure. I seem to write chapters out of order, scenes out of order but in the end, everything seems to fall into place. So far. LOL
Take for instance in CHARM ME AGAIN, I had no idea how Daylan was going to make amends with his sister after their horrendous falling out. But as I listened to him tell his story, involvement with the Scottish ghost and his regrets thing begin to fall into place. Yet when he was told Josie was off limits…well…he couldn’t help himself and chaos reigned. Then along comes Josie, a yoga instructor in Summer’s studio, an innocent with a stalker problem. She was so much more than she seemed at first glance. I had trouble keeping up with her transformation. When I just about thought I had things in hand, I discovered that Josie came from a prestigious family of lawyers and her free spirit got her tossed out of the family.
I hope I’ve given you enough for you to want to take a peek at the book. I know you are going to love it. Especially if paranormal romance sprinkled with mystery is your thing. Living in fantasy is mine, the real world scares me to death. LOL
I love all my books, but Charm Me Again is one of my favorites. Can he break the age old curse to save her and their future, or will she be lost to him forever? AND it available in audiobook! Yep this book as it all. So lets take a peek into Charm Me Again!
For several months a Scottish Highland Ghost has haunted Daylan, in his personal life, his professional life and at his forge. Yet, being a talented warlock, he is no closer to discovering what the ghost wants or why he chose Daylan. A trip to his estranged sister’s home in Colorado may have unforeseen consequences especially when family history leads him to a shocking discovery.
As his attraction blooms for Josie, a yoga instructor in his sister’s studio, he realizes there may be more to Josie than he can imagine. When an ancient rogue Fae Warrior set on revenge kidnaps her in an attempt to claim her as his own, a devastating curse comes to light.
Daylan’s world spirals out of control as he searches for Josie. Can he break the age old curse to save her and their future, or will she be lost to him forever?
A peek between the pages of Charm Me Again.
She swallowed hard and blinked.
Out of the mist, in full Scottish regalia, a ghost stood, his transparent red and green belted plaid blowing in the breeze.
She shook her head, closed her eyes, scrubbed her hands over her eyes, and blinked them open. “What the hell?” burst from her lips before she could control herself. “It’s some kind of bad dream. Right?” She rubbed her eyes again opening only one this time. “Shit, you’re all still here.” She dropped her arms to her sides and glared at Daylan then Summer. “Someone better tell me what’s going on—right now.” Her hands fisted and unfisted at her sides.
Daylan returned her scathing look. “Later.”
“We meet again Shay.” The ghost said. “What kind of attire are ye wearing?”
“Never mind. Ye are the cause of the problem, Daylan.” The leader glared at the ghost.
“Oh, no—not this time,” the ghost said.
Daylan stood straight. “No way. I’m not taking the blame for this.”
Shay grinned. “Oh, now things are falling in place.” He pointed a finger at Daylan. “You are his namesake and that is why Khellan has returned.” He flicked a finger at the ghost. “And you have attached to your namesake hoping he or his twin can break the curse. What a tangle.” Shifting his gaze to her, he continued. “This young lass is caught in the middle with naught power to protect herself.”
“For god sakes. She’s mortal. How can she be caught in the middle?” Daylan shouted. “She shouldn’t even be able to see what’s happening.”
“Yet she does. Something to think about.” Shay shrugged one shoulder. “She is besotted with you, as you are with her. The lass’s blood may be diluted, but it’s there. The cycle begins again.”
Next week, stop in and find out what magical adventure I have in store for you.
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Posted in Authors' Secrets Blog and tagged Charm Me Again, fantasy, ghosts, Mystery, Paranormal Romance/Mystery, Scotland, Sunday Snippet, Tena Stetler, Witches by Tena Stetler with 2 comments.